How to Get Sitemap Index Files Right
A file that lists several sitemaps, used when a site has more URLs than a single sitemap can hold.
Samir Haddad
Why does it matter?
Large sites need structured sitemaps, and splitting them sensibly makes indexing problems easier to diagnose.
What are the numbers?
- Limits a sitemap holds up to 50,000 URLs and has a file size limit
- Index files reference multiple sitemaps
- Segmentation sitemaps can be split by content type or section
- Reporting Search Console reports indexing per sitemap
What should I do?
- Split sitemaps by section or content type
- Keep sitemaps under the URL and size limits
- Reference all sitemaps from an index file
- Include only canonical, indexable URLs
- Monitor indexing rates per sitemap
What should I avoid?
Avoid:
- One enormous sitemap
- Redirecting or noindexed URLs in sitemaps
- Sitemaps that are never updated
- Submitting sitemaps you do not monitor
When should I get help?
Short answer Bring in help when large sites have indexing problems.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Build and submit a sitemap
- Google Search Central — Sitemaps overview
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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